Sweet Potato Latkes with Easy Apple Butter and Crème Fraîche

Aren’t these flowers beautiful? They are, in fact, sweet potato flowers, and I do think they do their scrumptious roots justice, don’t you? I have been making this recipe for sweet potato latkes for years. Latkes have always been difficult for me, because almost every recipe calls for onions, and as you know, I cannot eat onions, leeks, chives, scallions, or raw garlic. I like them, they just don’t like me. 😦

This recipe is a perfect alternative to the classic potato latke, and it is fun and fresh for everyone. There is always something special about getting to eat a pancake for dinner. The apple butter recipe is super easy, because I know y’all don’t have the time or patience to professionally can stuff. If you live in the USA where apple butter is easy to find in the jam aisle, then you can always skip making it and use your favorite brand, but my German readers will especially appreciate a quick and easy way to make this familiar conserve.

In a small pot, pour your store bought applesauce and the other ingredients, and let them reduce and simmer on medium-low. For the cloves, I recommend using a metal tea ball, but you can also use powdered cloves if you don’t have a tea ball. That’s it for the apple butter, just remove the cinnamon stick and tea ball before you serve, and you can store it in the original jar in the fridge.

Meanwhile, grate your sweet potatoes (I know, this totally and completely sucks, but there is just no way around it, unless you’re rich and have one of those fancy grating attachments for a food processor). Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. Fry over medium-high heat, until golden brown on both sides, and serve with a dollop of apple butter and crème fraîche.

As with all pancakes, I recommend you heat the oven to the lowest setting and keep the done latkes warm in there until you are ready to serve them all.